Graduation 2022

2 Class of 2022 heads off to new adventures The Olympian Graduation 2022

Alabama State University Shomari Colver

Columbia college Sebastiana Mendez

Depaul University Valeria Bahena

Oregon State Emma Fogle, Sara Vargas

American University Sofia Palau

CSU East Bay Esmeralda Arechiga, Brenna Borgstede, Skyler Chan, Cory Fischer, Esteban Garcia, Tyler Hipona, jenevynne johnson-cole, Isabella Lucas, lillian manno, Robin Bernard Mendoza, Rayn Powers, Kyle Shapland, Sarah Stephens, Ivelize Zamora

Diablo Valley College Kahi Brooks, Nicolas Guevara, Prachit Joshi, MJ Kaeley, Kyle Long, Anqi Mei, Jalen Melancon , Sierra Prola Lopez, Hamda Rabah, Robert Robinson, Zachary Sandoval, Zoe Spitzel, Ana Zlatkovic

Pacific University Oregon Zander Ditona

Esthetician School Skye Barnes

Prescott Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Skyler Lum

Arizona State University Daniel Ma, Jamie Prout ArtCenter College of Design Grace Choi Belmont University Matthew Erickson Berkeley City College Ben Cheung, Luca Dito Nicolas Esqueda, Katherine Le Cal Baptist University Brieaun Patton California College of Arts Ailin Wong Case Western Reserve Ethan Fang Chabot College Darren Ng,Diego Abad Andrea Aguirre, Ezekiel Alvarez, Jessica Alvarez, Paola Amador, Ari Arellano, Keegan Baker, Mya Barnes, Edmund Bascon Jason Baumann, Lucas Brown, Giselle Caballero, dehui chen, Karen Chen, Ethan Chow, Catherine Chung, Nathan Chuong, Juliana Margrette Claudio, Gabriela Cruz, Alexia Dalby, Colin Dugan, Daniel Duong, Anna Etter, Wyatt Fong, Bryant Galvan, Mahmud Ghanem, Shokry Girgis, Bradshaw Gonzalez, Dylan Gonzalez, Connor Gould, Eryn Graffam, Joshua Harvey, Zhaopeng He, Xitlali Hernandez Espinoza, Brendan hotchkiss, Derek Huie, Laila Izaz, Cole Jackson-Hand, Lola Janks, Anthony Jimenez, Alex Kleczek, Edward Lau, Jared Lau, Toby Lau, Elaina Lazo, Marjorie Leung, Benjamin Levy, Eric Li, Alexander Lowe, Katelyn Luangrath, Justin Lui, Leo Lukito, Brandan Ly, Sage MacChesney, Christopher Mak, Ethan Manuel, Austin Marenco, Dayanet Martínez, Anqi Mei, Megan Muller, Jazmin Neuo, Ashley Neverov, Sadaf Noor, Jason Oh, Elysia Oliveira, Esmeralda Oropeza, Vanessa Perez, Logan Phulps ileen pina-hernandez, Nijal Ramsey, marisol raxon, Isaiah Riveira, Isabella Robles, Daniel Rodriguez, Emiliano Rodriguez, April Rosas, Adam Roura, Aaron Saelee, Cesar Sahagun, Ethan Sanchez, John Sanchez, Franklin Sánchez , Kaylenne Mae Santiago, Celeste Schwarz, Pranay sethi, Justin Seto, Atticus Spence, Kayleigh Stump, Ethan To, Kat Topete, Aiden Tran, Isabel Tran, Naethaniel Trinidad, Margarita Vinciguerra, Adrian Wong, Bryson Wong, Jalen Wong, Maddox Wood Chapman University Dennise Moreno College of Alameda Isaiah Fortenberry

CSU Fullerton Angeline Anderson, Esther Huang, Joshua Kwock, Ryan Trinh, jamie xie, Wallace Zhen CSU Humboldt (Cal Poly) Megan Baldwin, Claire Cason, Maya Contreras CSU Long Beach Angeline Anderson, Esther Huang, Joshua Kwock, Ryan Trinh, jamie xie, Wallace Zhen CSU Los Angeles Steven Cen CSU Monterey Bay Sofia Hillen CSU Northridge Eliseo Flores CSU Pomona (Cal Poly) Jaime Bernabe Sy, Stephen Caudill, bailey fong, Kikie Liu, Anthony Yeung, Joacim Zamora CSU Sacramento Koen Chinn, Jordan DeCarli, megha dhir, Ammy Singh CSU San Diego Analiya Arias, Ilana Brown, Madeline Choy, Caitlyn Cu, Corinne Davidson, Lauren French, Alyssa Gilman Chun, Lena Kiesling, Jayme Lai, Carlia Ott, Emily Turk, Samuel Wu CSU San Francisco Kayin Chan, Jack Clarke, Brooke Eickmann, Joseph Escobedo, Bryan Hawthorne, Kyle Jeong, aisha nassery, Brianna Nulph, Krystela Joy Rentoria, Sonya Ross, Lue Tao, Alexander Umansky, Jacob Zakas CSU San Jose Anthony Acosta, Kayla Agpoon, Jacob Ayers, Elathan Beard, Sofia Boragno, Tristan Cristobal, Kelly Fong, Evan Gee, Rebecca Johnson, William Kremer, Yongjun (Winni) Lin, Camron Ogle, Elijah Powell, Camille Quebral, Kaitlyn Quinteros, Alexis Sasser, Mia Sklut, Charles Torpey, Karina Vilcheck, Vincent Xiao CSU San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) Martin Avalos, Alexa Cango Ruiz CSU San Marcos Matthew Zhang CSU Sonoma AJ Anderson, Skylynn Funderburk, Genevieve Habelski, Alexis Lima

Full Sail University Maylani Cornier Hawaii Pacific University Priscilla Ngo Howard University Tatiani Williams Lane Community College Lexi Park Laney College Rosanna Carpentier, Frida Veliz Las Positas College Ryan Armann, Evan Bachmann, Adrian Cervantes, Kassandra Chavez, Abigail Chiu, Fernando Colmenares, Gwendolyn Conn, Matthew Danao, Michaela Del Rio, Zac Furber-Dobson, Susanna Hill, Ethan Hudson, Savannah Hui, Alex Jerome Ella Koch, Madison Lady Shreya Naiker, Rollie Nearhood, Jennifer Ortiz, Jacob Ramsdell, Amara Rosalia, Kylie San Julian, Nubia Sedano, Demi Starzak, Marianna Tsigaris , Dylan Vilala, Lanae Wong, Sena Yamakoshi, Anthony Yu, Olivia Zakas, Sydney Zeigler Loyola New Orleans University Kiyara Stafford Loyola University Chicago Reyna Sims MCC/Arizona State University Anisa Rufferman Middlesex University, London Laura Perino Military - Air Force Jordan Peters Military - National Guard Christian Matthew Dela Cruz Military - Navy Gabriel Martinez Napa valley college Anthony Guiomar NYU Andrew Lottich Occidental College Keegan Shirley, Sophia Siu Ohlone College Natasha Conn, Aaron Gallagher, Alexis Krzyzanowski, Courtney Lim Orange Coast College Ana Encarnacion Naimaa

Pepperdine University Rebeca Bejenariu Pratt Institute Alina O’Brien, Kayla Ong

Purdue Univeristy Jacob Choy, Anjan Nanisetti Redlands University Emeline D’Antonio Reed College Quinn Villalobos, Kayla Dart San Francisco City College Chelsy Antinero, Jeremy SuAng, Zurich Wright San Francisco Institute of Esthetics and Cosmetology Katherine Pierce San Jose city college Nubia Sedano Santa Barbara City College Grady Sharkey, william sanders Santa Clara University Ava Eagan, Alexander Fruin, Lindsey Leong Scripps College Brooke Kasl-Godley

ser, Keying Huang, Katherine Huynh, Michael Karapetyan, Leewon Koo, Brooke Kundert, Michelle Lim, Chelsey Lu, Honna Nguyen, Ali Nosseir, Kylie Szeto, Aldan Wang, Jaelyn Watson, Amanda Wong, Alexander Zhang UC Merced Christian Blankenship, Ian Castaneda, Kudus Netsanet, Dakota Yang UC Purdue Global Xander Richards UC Riverside Chris Huang, Willy Jiang, Sky Kuang, Ethan Lam, Stephy Luis, Caleb Mak, Bevan Momanyi, Felix Shum UC San Diego Soojin An, Sierra Camarena, Marissa Chan, Stephen Chen Chen, Cedric-James David, Elijah Hosaka, Qian (Kathy) Li, Cecilia Lin, Zhencheng Lin, Breanna Ly, Jason Ma, Aneet Mangat, Jonah Pitcher, Colin Sutedja, Bryant Tam, Melody Ye UC Santa Barbara Kaitlyn Chihaoui, Jonathan Lam, Kyla Metchette, Angie Wu UC Santa Cruz Stephanie Curpene, Roman Getnet, Benjamin Gomes, Martin Guo, Leah Janaway, Christine Lau, Geovani Palafox

Seton Hall University Leo Chu

University of Hawaii Manoa Hannah Seah, Elizabeth Villaverde

Siskiyous College Zelin Kidd, Tyler Morgan

University of Arizona Daniel Daum, Nico Lewis

Stanford University Lauren Green

University of Las Vegas Justin Cataag

Texas Tech Lucas Taylor

University of Montana Charlotte Caistor

UC Berkeley Daisy Avila, Vicky Huang, Arjun Jadhav, Raniya Jin, Lauren Lee, Hani Liu, Helena Liu, Erin Tang, Kaitlyn Wong, Kaylee Yang, Jun Jie Yu

University Of Nevada Reno Elizabeth Martin, Lucy Ryken

UC Davis Justin Auduong, Delenn Block, Emily Chen, Aidan Chiang, Kaitlyn Chihaoui, Lauryn Chinn, Anna-Sophia DeBakcsy, Isabel Enriquez, Jamie Fong, Yezenia Gomez, Itsuki Hirano, Claire Huang, Andrew Hui, Galaxy Kung, Travis Orem, Kotomi Sato, Tammy Wong, Emily Woo, Alyssa Zaydman

University of San Francisco Yusuf Ayesh, Jiexin Chen, Daniella Kihevka

UC Irvine Mahmoud Abdullah, Kristen Bae, Ada Chen, Katherine Diep, Matthew Do, Joyce Kwan, Sophia Low, Kyla Metchette, Alaina Retodo, Camila Sacramento, Ethan Servin, Jenny Tran, Jessica Truong, Emily Wong, Marissa Wong, Ruilin Wu UC Los Angeles Gladys Au, Lisette Choo, Annika Conley, Katelyn Heu-

University of Oregon Ashli Enriquez, Prisha Grewal, Isabella Mandish, Ishaan Patel

University of Southern California Victor Kindinger University of Washington Lidia Stoyanovich, Mia Young University of Washington, Seattle Kelly Xie University of Western Ontario Karishma Kher Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania Levina La List of College Destinations is incomplete.

Page 2: Don’t ban right to abortion

VOLUME 64, ISSUE 7

MAY 27, 2022

Page 4: Lynee Sims speeds to victory

Page 6: AP Art Show wows audiences

WE ARE BORN TO SEEK THE TRUTH! W W W. C V H S O LY M P I A N . C O M

Covid cases surge as mask rule ends

By Jessica Truong As California school Covid rules are gradually becoming less restrictive, CVUSD positive cases are suddenly increasing.

Following the end of the mask mandate at CVUSD, the percentage of masked students has dropped from 95 percent in mid-March to 92 percent in early May according to a count done by The Olympian.

The end of the mask mandate and the slight decrease in masked students could possibly have a correlation with the rise in cases this past month. The CVUSD Positive Case Dashboard shows that in March there were a total of 28 positive cases. In April, it rose to 128 cases after the end of the mask mandate in mid-March.

Specifically at CVHS, cases increased by more than tenfold.

“The masks were definitely helping and that’s why I think it’s better for everyone if we all wear masks. Yeah, they’re uncomfortable at times, however it’s all about protecting ourselves and other people,” stated CVHS health teacher Erika Ikemoto.

Felix Shum

Left: Since CVHS made masks optional, some students removed them but most leave them on.

Jessica Truong

CVHS Trojans have various concerns around decreased masking in classrooms and what it may mean for their safety at school.

“I feel like the mask mandate should still be in place because there is still Covid around and there’s even a new variant. I still wear my mask around school, but some of my friends don’t. I think not wearing it outside is understandable but we should still wear them in classrooms,” said sophomore Clare Chung.

“I understand masks off outdoors, but I don’t trust

everyone else enough to be maskless indoors. I’ll keep my mask on to keep my peers, their families, and myself as safe as possible. I suggest you do the same,” said sophomore Emma Pham.

Some are hopeful about the progress in the fight against Covid, but are still being cautious out of worry for others.

“Since we’re lifting the mask mandate, that’s a start to going back to normal, but it makes me nervous for populations who are more at risk,” said biology

Above: A graph shows that CVHS Covid infections rose sharply in April even as mask use remained above 90 percent. teacher Emily Ledford.

In October, the state announced that there would be a vaccine mandate for students, but since then, the requirement has been pushed back to the next school year.

The vaccines have not been fully approved by the FDA for children in grades 7-12 and are still only under emergency approval for that age group.

“I think it would be beneficial for all to have a vaccine, but there are a lot of people who are not willing to get it for a number of reasons. It is

beneficial to have students at school even though they aren’t vaccinated, however the mask mandate should be something that should still be in place for the protection of all,” said Ikemoto.

Although the number of positive cases could decrease with the implementation of a vaccine mandate in the school district, the earliest it could be implemented would be some time this summer. It is still in question whether or not it will be in place by the start of the next school year.

New justice confirmed as abortion ruling looms

By Leah Janaway The Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court on Thursday, April 7 with a 53-47 vote. She is the first Black woman and third Black person to serve as justice.

Her nomination by President Biden followed Justice Stephen Breyer’s retirement announcement in January.

Whether viewed by Democrats or Republicans, it’s undoubtable that Jackson is qualified; she studied law at Harvard, worked as a law clerk for three federal judges and then became one herself, served in the U.S. Court of Appeals, and is now the only current justice to have experience as a federal public

defender and as a member of the U.S. Sentencing Commission.

She will replace Breyer at the end of the Supreme Court’s term in July.

“I think [Jackson’s confirmation] is historic,” said government teacher Mark Mladinich. “She is highly qualified for the Supreme Court, which is fabulous. I think that we still have a long way to go, but it’s a step in the right direction.”

“I think as a symbol it’s really moving to see us be able to put a minority voice into the Supreme Court since it’s already very much lacking,” said senior Alaina Retodo.

Conservatives currently hold a 6-3 majority in the

Court, so even after Jackson takes her place in July, the outcomes of upcoming cases will most likely favor the conservative viewpoint. On May 2, a leaked Supreme Court opinion revealed that they plan to overturn Roe v. Wade, the case from 1973 that ruled that abortions are a constitutional right. The leak sparked outrage and a series of womens’ rights protests across the country.

Recently, Oklahoma banned all abortions within the state with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $100,000 fine; the only exception to the law comes if the woman’s life is critically endangered by her pregnancy. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, 18

states will likely immediately outlaw abortion, and states with existing restrictions will make them stricter. Most of these states are not expected to allow abortions to victims of rape or incest or to women whose pregnancies put them in danger of becoming disabled.

The Court’s official decision on the case will be announced in June.

Another noteworthy upcoming case is New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen which brings the Second Amendment into play.

The Court will rule on whether or not it is constitutional for a New York law to limit one’s ability to carry a concealed firearm. Currently, the law

only allows gun owners to get a concealed-carry license if they can prove that they need the gun for self-defense purposes.

It has been over a decade since the Court ruled on the Second Amendment; the last related case, McDonald v. Chicago in 2010, established that an individual’s right to keep and bear arms applied to states as well as the federal government.

“The Court seems to be more in favor of gun rights, so there could be more concealed weapons on the streets of this country soon, which to me is a little alarming,” said Mladinich. “These cases could definitely change longstanding precedents in this country.”

2 Access to abortion must be protected Editorial:

Abortion. People’s bodily autonomy being debated by the government. A lot has happened reguarding the right to a safe abortion.

Roe v. Wade saw the Supreme Court floor in 1973, and affirmed the right of people who are able to get pregnant to be able to get abortions. Abortion was declared constitutional through this case, but with limitations making them hard to get.

These past years, individual states have been creating abortion bans: Mississippi, Florida, and Arizona at 16 weeks; Wyoming at ten weeks; Texas and Idaho at six weeks, Kentucky has a near total ban; and Oklahoma says abortion is only permitted in medical emergencies.

After the upcoming June Supreme Court ruling, which has the possibility to overturn Roe v. Wade, states will have more leeway regarding abortion. Already, people in many states have little or no access to abortion, but this would restrict access further.

Twenty-one states are certain

to ban abortion.

There has been a leaked Supreme Court voting plan explaining that our current court will overrule Roe v. Wade.

It says, “we hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled.”

Here at The Olympian, we believe that abortion is a human right that should be accessed without limitations, because the government shouldn’t control bodily autonomy.

The society we live in doesn’t set up a system that makes it easy for pregnant people or

Rebecca Ireland

their offsprings to survive.

Not everyone is financially or mentally stable to have a child, not helped by the statistic that people assigned female at birth are more likely to live in poverty, and especially people of color.

Along with this, the argument for just putting up the baby for adoption or fostering is not viable because these systems are very flawed.

Just because it is banned or inaccessible doesn’t mean people will stop having abortions, in that case—which is

PHOTOpinions

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Abortion should be available nationwide. It’s a woman’s right. By taking abortion rights away, they take away safe abortions.

Bella Castaneda freshman

”

“

I am pro-choice but I think that each individual state should be able to decide their own set of abortion rights.

Chloe Diaz sophomore

”

Trojans Talk Schools should show support in times of war: “I feel like there is not enough information given to people about the war which can cause them to not care about it.

I think that if more information is given, we can do more as a community to support Ukraine and all of the people that are being killed. There should be more discussions about the war in schools and more businesses should donate money to support Ukraine.”

—Keidon Quach

Downside of driving with parents: “Driving with parents is very frustrating at times. Most of the time mine are not patient with me. Sometimes they will even yell at me for a small mistake.

I’m fine with corrections but there’s no need to yell because then I might get too nervous.

That’s why I like the driving school training. They have taught me so much and they are some of the most patient people.”

—Kaylee Rosario

already reality for many, people just turn to unsafe methods for this neccessary procedure.

Mike Pence spoke at a university recently and was asked about having a gay child.

He responded that he would still love him, but doesn’t agree with his constitutional rights to get married, or be himself in society, because it doesn’t align with his beliefs. He said that the rights of people need to allow for religious belief. This is similar to the argument of anti-abortion people; “because

I don’t agree with it, no one should have it.” Separation of Church and State would mean anti-abortion religious laws are unconstitutional.

Having religious reasoning to ban abortion is also unconstitutional because it encroaches on others’ religious freedom. For example, Jewish law requires even third trimester abortion if there is any possibility of harm coming to the pregnant person.

Instead of banning abortion, we believe in changing the social culture of sexual health. Schools should have contraceptives and more comprehensive sex education for all people (not just cishet relationships).

We also believe, since California will not be following suit of banning abortion with the overturn of Roe v. Wade, that California should become an abortion safe-haven, providing this essential healthcare service for people who are unable to access it in their state.

We at The Olympian believe that banning abortion is not only unconstitutional, but unethical.

What do you think about abortion rights?

“

There shouldn’t be restrictions on women’s bodies... I think abortion should be legalized nationwide.

Bianca Petalver junior

”

“Driving with parents is definitely very stressful and I share some of the same experiences with my mom.

She especially likes to grab the handle even if I am going at or a bit below the speed limit. I definitely do agree that these things make new drivers even more nervous than they already are, especially when the parents keep constantly making comments on every single little thing on the road.”

—Rachel Raskin Every 15 Minutes Warns Students: “I find this program amazing.

“

Abortion should be a woman’s right. ...You shouldn’t have a say in what we [women] should or shouldn’t be allowed to do.

Jamie Xie senior

”

It really does open the eyes of those who are starting to drive as well as those who are knowledgeable. I like how you went through the process of those two days of the program and [got] quotes of those who were a part of it. This program overall is very touching and [I] hope it will open the minds of more youths as this continues.”

—Kaylie Bang More students mask off as time runs on: I think that everyone should read this article to better understand the mask policy, but also their peer’s opinions

“

I think life should be protected. I would like the Supreme Court to say abortion is not legal.

Lata Mistry science teacher

”

about how masks should be off versus on. Because even though it is not required by law anymore it is still something to be aware of and to make sure that you are taking thoughts and precautions for yourself as well as the people around you safe.”

—Aiden Frost

The Olympian May 27, 2022

3

Student athletes struggle with mental health

By Delaney Rasmussen Three high-profile college student-athletes have died by suicide across the United States since March. They include Katie Meyer, the star goalkeeper of the Stanford soccer team, Sarah Shulze, a top runner at University of WisconsinMadison, and Lauren Bernett, an exceptionally talented softball player from James Madison University. These heart wrenching deaths are beginning to shine a light on mental health struggles among high school and collegiate student athletes, and many more people are stepping up and expressing their struggles.

Student athletes have an immense amount of pressure on them to balance their schoolwork, rigorous training schedule, sleep, social life, and simply time for themselves.

There is also the risk of injury

and possible low self-esteem if the student athlete does not feel good enough for the coach or team.

“Student athletes on campuses are hit with more pressure to perform and excel,” said Josie Nicholson, a sports psychologist and counselor at the University of Mississippi. “They live such hectic schedules with so many expectations. ... There’s not really much time to stop and process anything.”

These young athletes’ lives can often be extremely stressful and overwhelming. People need to not forget that these are people before athletes or students, and young ones at that.

Especially when growing up playing a sport and just completely immersing yourself in that sport and in that lifestyle for such a long period of time, it can be hard for these teenagers to view themselves as anything but athletes. At this age, where these kids are student athletes, they are still growing up and trying to figure out their identity. When they’ve grown up with their sport being their main identification of themselves, as they get older it’s hard to separate the human from the athlete. If they are a runner or a soccer player, for example, it can be hard for these young adults to realize that they

are anything other than a runner or player. This can be extremely hard on a person’s mental health to base their identity entirely on their performance in their sport, or when they get injured or have to quit.

“Perfectionism can come out with a particular tenacity for student athletes. The demands are high, and then if you’re trying to meet those demands perfectly, or perform perfectly in all those areas, that can be a really problematic recipe,” said Tommy Fritze, a sport and performance psychologist at the health and counseling center at the University of Denver said.

Victoria Emma, professional tennis player, spoke on the stigma surrounding highprofile athletes reaching out for help and taking a step back when needed: “It’s a fear about being judged. It’s a fear of being seen as weak when you’re supposed to be seen as a competitive athlete.”

Truly helping a studentathlete would require support from not only their parents and family, but support and reassurance from their coaches and teammates as well. These athletes mainly just need to know that they are heard and have resources provided to them if they are struggling and choose to get help.

“Student athletes have an immense amount of pressure on them to baance their schoolwork, rigourous training schedule, sleep, social life, and simply time for themselves,” writes athlete and journalist Delaney Rasmussen.

Realities of driving with your parents A fact about my dad is that he likes to drive fast, which I understand better now that I drive too. I also like to drive pretty quickly, which can be a problem, but I like to think that I know when I am going too fast or out of control. My dad thinks that I am not able to control my car and is constantly yelling at me to slow down. This really irks

me because I am never yelling at him to slow down when he drives.

Overall, driving with my parents can tend to be a nightmare, but I am getting better at ignoring them and or just going with what they want.

However, I am still glad to be able to drive and I know that they just want me to be safe.

By Melissa Boussaroque After getting my permit in late December, I was really excited to finally start driving.

While I was vaguely nervous, I was reassured that I wouldn’t be alone. At first, I understood why my parents were extremely cautious; I had little experience driving and they were scared that even a little mistake could be catastrophic. Additionally, I was having trouble staying in the middle of my lane and I needed a constant reminder so that I wouldn’t accidentally drift into the lane next to me.

After a while though, I started to get annoyed with the constant reminders.

The worst part about driving with my mom is that she tells me what to do, even when I was already planning on doing it. It’s like she thinks I can’t see the glaring red stoplight and I’m

going to speed right through it. Every time there’s a stop sign or a stop light coming up, she begins screeching at me to slow down, even if I was already going to.

If that isn’t stressing me out enough, she likes to grip onto the car door handle, as if her life depends on it, every single time I make a turn. I don’t really get nervous while driving, but the second-hand nerves radiating off of my mother are enough to make me think that every turn I make is going to end catastrophically.

But wait, it gets worse. I have only driven on the highway a few times, so I’m still not super comfortable with it. However, I don’t notice that I’m nervous until my mom makes a point to ask me multiple times. From the minute I get on, she grabs

onto the handle, which I’m surprised hasn’t broken off yet, and repeatedly makes a point of asking, “Are you nervous?” Of course I am, but once she asks, I’m hyper-aware of how tightly I’m gripping the steering wheel and clenching my jaw.

Driving with my mom is bad, but driving with my dad is just as bad, maybe worse. When I first got my permit, my dad would be perched over me ready to grab the steering wheel at any moment in case I made a mistake. Every time I was even slightly too far to the right of my lane, he would grab on and swerve back to the middle for me. I do have to admit, I did tell him that he could grab the wheel if he needed to, but I just expected him to stop me from changing lanes when I missed a car in my blind spot.

Castro Valley High School’s journalism class publishes The Olympian, an award-winning newspaper and media empire, from our world headquarters at 19400 Santa Maria Ave., Castro Valley, California 94546. © 2022 Editors-in-Chief..............................Megan Baldwin and Corinne Davidson Online Editor.........................................Olive Dooley Copy Editor...............................................Leah Janaway News Editor.............................................................Andrew Hui Opinion Editor.................................................Amanda Wong Feature Editor....................................................Ethan To Sports Editor....................................................Ali Nosseir Arts and Entertainment Editor........................Ada Chen Photo Editor...................................................Delenn Block Business Manager........................................Felix Shum Staff Writers: Melissa Boussaroque, Zoe Dorado, Ethan Hudson, Rebecca Ireland, Alani Maligaya, Jennifer Mi, Jenna Nosseir, Drew Paxman, Delaney Rasmussen, Sam Scott, Athena Sy Kuzuhara, Jessica Truong, Leland Tsai, Maya Wong Advisor........................................................................Matt Johanson

4

Lynee Sims continues to speed on varsity

By Jenna Nosseir “I love track because it keeps me going and keeps me distracted from stressful school work and helps to keep me in check with reality,” said junior track star Lynee Sims. This is Sims’ third year on the varsity track and field team and has found herself loving the long jump and the 100 meter dash.

Not only have her teammates appreciated her help on the team, so have the coaches. Both of the head track coaches have only said good words about Sims.

Sims clarified that she prefers the long jump over the 100 meter dash and that has been her main focus this season. Her current personal record in the long jump is 18’ as the season is halfway done, but she hopes to make 19’ by the end of the season with all of the training

Lynee Sims (left) sprints to finish first in the 100 meter dash. she is doing to reach this goal.

Considering she started off the season getting 17’6”, where she’s at now is very impressive.

As for the 100 meters, Sims’ personal record is currently standing at 12.7 seconds but she plans on running 12.4 soon. Al-

Delaney Rasmussen

though this race is very short and quick, you need a great amount of strength to be able to sprint past your opponents in such a

short amount of time.

Besides Sims’ running goals, she hopes to stay true to herself and not cut herself short when training.

“I would like to get through high school track and be successful, leading me to go to college and run track there as well. Most importantly, I want to stay true to myself, stay true to working out, and just stay true to my confidence,” she said.

Sims has great aspirations and dreams that can hopefully become reality.

Along with the open 100 meter dash, Sims also runs in the 4 x 100 varsity relay race. Her team got first place at a recent meet with an impressive time of 51.68 seconds.

This junior track star has left everyone in awe of her talents and will keep up her incredible work in her next track season to come and hopefully many more.

Sophomore Kovacs excels in his first track season Daniel Priem and Elliot Simon play to win.

Zoe Dorado

Freshmen tennis duo do damage

By Drew Paxman

Ayden Kovacs sprints the 200 meter dash. a 15’7” foot long jump, and he

By Delaney Rasmussen “Track is hard, but it's fun to challenge yourself and push hard to get better,” said the newly found sophomore track star, Ayden Kovacs. This is only Kovacs’ first year on track, yet he has found himself excelling in long jump, the 100 meter dash, and the 200 meter dash.

Head coach Dooney Jones has taken notice of this talent as well.

“Ayden is definitely an upand-coming athlete for our future varsity team,” Jones said while recalling Kovacs’ successes so far in the season.

Kovacs said that while long jump is his favorite event, he likes the 100 meters because of how competitive the sprint is.

He started off the season with

is currently at 18’3”, midway through the season.

As for his 100, he began the season at a time of 12.94, and it is now currently at 12.41. For the 200 meter dash, he started with a time of 26.77 seconds, and at the most recent meet ran 25.29 seconds. He has improved tremendously and has gotten a personal record at every single meet this season, which is unusual for track athletes.

Kovacs has set multiple goals for himself that he works towards at practice every day. He wants to run under 12 seconds in the 100 meters and try to jump 19 or 20 feet in the long jump by the end of the season.

Prior to the track season, Kovacs mentioned that he would go to the gym every day

Delaney Rasmussen

after school for multiple hours, and that has been a big factor in his current success in track and field.

“I've met a lot of new people on the team and became good friends with them. I've become close with my 4x1 team as well,” said Kovacs.

The track star not only excels in his own individual events, but he is also an anchor on his teams’ frosh-soph 4x100 relay team. His team has raced the event together four times, and have won the race three out of four of those times. Their personal record is 48.68 seconds, having also gotten a personal record at every meet so far.

The sophomore star has stunned many people in his first season on track, and will continue to do so for multiple seasons to come.

Sweat dripping down their faces from both the ever-increasing 90 degree heat and the fact that they had been playing for nearly two-and-ahalf hours, freshman doubles pair Daniel Priem and Elliot Simon found themselves at a crucial point in their match.

After losing the first set, Priem and Simon made an impressive comeback to win the second set and ultimately tie the game. A tiebreaker was needed to seal a victory.

Despite a valiant effort, Priem and Simon eventually lost the tiebreaker and the match 1-6, 6-4, 12-14. Yet, the score did not hinder their experience.

“It was such a good game, we had so much fun playing it,” said Priem.

This match was not the first rodeo for the freshman duo; their history dates way back to their elementary school days.

“We went to the same elementary school,” said Priem. “We found out we both played ten-

nis and took lessons together.”

As the years have trailed on, Priem and Simon have still kept their bond on and off the court, ultimately leading to their position this year on the varsity boys tennis team.

“We’re getting the full high school experience,” said Simon, “and are definitely playing a lot with each other.”

Out of the six varsity matches that the Trojans have played this year, the two have started as a doubles team in all of them.

“We’re definitely always gonna be doubles together, we’re a guaranteed doubles match,” acknowledged Priem.

As the season comes to an end in the upcoming months, Priem and Simon are not only staying focused, but look forward to their next three years on the team. In his latter high school years, Priem wants “to be a team captain and get more experience in doubles.” Simon isn’t as sure, but “tennis-wise,” he looks forward to “going up the ladder and seeing what happens.”

The Olympian May 27, 2022

Cali Hsiao-Frates competes in the 100-yard breaststroke.

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Addison Medcalf swims speedily in the 100 yard individual medley.

Trojans swim to success at WACC, NCS

By Jennifer Mi Castro Valley swimmers were left with sunburnt shoulders, goggle marks, and suit tans after participating in the West Alameda County Conference (WACC) Swimming and Diving Championship meet on April 29 at Chabot College.

Overall, CVHS girls placed fifth out of eight with 245 points, the winners being the Berkeley High Yellowjackets. The boys

placed third out of nine with 364 points, a slim gap to the two first place winners, the Bishop O’Dowd Dragons and the Alameda Hornets, with a tie of 378.

“We had some awesome results!” said coach Jaqueline Stone.

A few star swimmers qualified for NCS, a meet which includes schools all across California’s northern coast. Junior Samantha Li qualified in the 200 free and

100 free. Senior Alyssa Zaydman advanced in the 100 breast and 50 free. Freshman Simon Li qualified in the 100 free. Senior Colin Sutedja advanced in the 200 Individual Medley and 100 breast. Senior Elijah Williams reached NCS in the 100 free and 50 free.

CVHS relay teams that raced at NCS include the girls 200 free and 400 free relay, composed of Corrine Arakawa, Samantha Li, Jennifer Mi, Jamie Xie, and

Alyssa Zaydman. CVHS boys qualified for the 200 medley, 200 free, and 400 free relay.

These relay teams are composed of Nathan Arakawa, Simon Li, Kyle Mognoga, Travis Orem, Colin Sutedja, Marcus Thai, Elijah Williams, and Gavin Willits.

NCS took place Friday May 6 at the Concord Community Pool. Out of the CVHS team, junior Samantha Li advanced to finals in the 100 free and

200 free, where she took second place in both events! Boys 200 free relay composed of Nathan Arakawa, Simon Li, Colin Sutedja, and Elijah Williams, also reached finals and placed tenth! Samantha Li qualified for the state championships, taking place at the Clovis Olympic Swim Complex in Fresno on May 12-14.

“I am very excited to go to states, and hope to get best times,” shared Samantha Li.

Seth Saffell leads Varsity golf teams wins first place golf team to victory

By Ethan Hudson

By Leland Tsai In a match against the Trojans’ toughest rival high schools, Alameda and Bishop O’Dowd, on April 6, senior Seth Saffell battled through gusty winds to shoot a 1-under par 35, leading the Trojans to another dominant victory and continuing their undefeated season.

Even with such a result, Saffell showed discontent with his score and vowed to keep improving, showing his determination and competitive nature for the game of golf.

“Yeah it was a decent score, but I left so many shots out there and I could’ve done better. I am proud of the team though and happy that we were still able to beat them by a big margin,” said Saffell.

Saffell also has an important role as a leader for the CVHS varsity golf team. Being a top player on the team, not only does he serve as a role model for other team members to look up to, but he also helps run and organize practices and matches.

When asked about what he enjoys most about the team, Saffell mentioned, “I love working and playing with close friends or even complete strangers. I think what makes

Seth Saffell

Leland Tsai

golf so great is that you meet new people everyday and compete with people of all skill levels.”

Introduced to the sport at the young age of three, after his parents bought him a set of mini clubs, golf has been a huge part of Saffell’s life. Now, Saffell can hit the ball an incredible 300 yards, a feat that comes with skill, speed, and strength.

Outside of high school golf, Saffell has won dozens of tournaments, showcasing his talents against some of the best players nationwide.

“Never settling for less, he has shown that he is a great leader and will do anything for the team. I see him as a role model not only as a golfer, and aspire to be as devoted to the team as he is,” said sophomore Connor Kim.

The CVHS boys varsity golf team won their league championship that took place on Monday, May 2. With a score total of 392, CVHS beat seven other teams, including rival Bishop O’Dowd, for first place.

Members of the team included Leland Tsai, Jay Saffell, Carson Mac, Carlos Toliver, Anthony Guiomar, and Conner Kim. The tournament was down to the wire as CVHS was tied at 392 with Alameda High School which took second place after the tiebraker.

“We all knew we had the skills to win, we just needed to do it. Take it one shot at a time.

Once one person finished it was

a waiting game to see how we all did. With each score coming in the more and more nervous we became. Between us and Alameda High School became so close we tied up our best five scores. We ended up winning by four strokes,” said Guiomar.

The CVHS golfers put in constant effort to come out on top of this tournament.

They had built up a lot of confidence by going undefeated throughout the season and it all paid with them sweeping the tournament.

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AP Art Show shares students’ talents

By Megan Baldwin The CVHS AP Art Show displayed the artwork of the students in the AP art class this year. Displayed in the Exhibition Hall at the Center For the Arts, the artwork was available for anyone to come and see.

AP art students spent a lot of time creating the pieces that they featured in the show.

Students worked on their art from November through April, spending different amounts of time on each piece they created. Each display had multiple pieces in a series, as well as a description of the inspiration behind the series.

Junior Agata Fedorowicz found inspiration for her artwork in prehistoric creatures and speculative biology. “I found evolution very fascinating and I figured I’d want to try exploring some scenarios myself,” said Fedorowicz.

“My favorite piece has to be ‘Cat and Mouse.’ I really enjoyed adding the faux fur for texture. I love the fierceness of the ‘cat’ creature’s claws and the ‘mouse’ creature’s clear fight to live. I also like how the background turned out, with the cracked ground and the

“Loss of Taste” by Erin Tang

“Cat and Mouse” by Agata Fedorowicz

desert feel,” said Fedorowicz.

Students had full creative freedom when creating their series for the show. One thing that students enjoy about the class is that it’s a place where they can let their creativity flow, and create pieces that allow them to express themselves. In the

grieving process.

“I like getting to hear what people say about your work, and how they respond to it.

A lot of people came up to me and were like ‘I relate to that,’ or ‘this made me cry,’ and it’s kind of impactful to see how they react to it,” said Tang.

The art show was a good way

class, they also have more access to materials that they may not have otherwise.

Senior Erin Tang found inspiration for her series in the passing of her grandmother.

She wanted to create a series that honored her, and she found that creating the pieces was a way to help with the

to end the school year, because it provided an opportunity for students to share what they have been working on over the past year. “I really like getting to see other peoples work, and you kinda help each other out and get inspired from each other, which is pretty fun,” said Tang.

Students write cards for Ukraine kids

By Delenn Block

Around 250 CVHS students wrote cards to children in Ukraine expressing their empathy to their situation.

Spanish teacher Miriam Dominguez was asked by a local couple if some of her students would like to make cards to go into Easter baskets they were sending to kids in Ukraine. She said the couple believed it would be nice to have other people their age write to these kids.

“I teach culture and want my students to have a diverse understanding of many cultures,” said Domniguez.

The cards were sent out in Easter baskets filled with other goods for the students. The couple thanked Dominguez in an email saying that they wish they could show each parent the cards to show them they

CVHS students wrote kind messages of support for children in Ukraine. have kind and compassionate children.

Dominguez encouraged them to look at poems and quotes to gain inspiration for the cards.

“It’s incredibly difficult for young people to put themselves in the place of these children,” said Dominguez.

One of the notes said “ Let God be your torch through the

dark, trust in God, he’ll always be by your side.”

Another one stated, “I want you to know that one day, everything will be okay.

Remember that there is

someone here in the U.S who cares for you and is sending you warmth and hope. If you can, Keep finding the little reasons everyday to stay strong. Don’t lose hope.”

7 ‘Heartstopper’ will make your heart stop

By Rebecca Ireland “Am I gay?” is something nearly every queer kid has searched up in trying to discern their identity separate from the heteronormative society; a phenomenon which does not exclude Nick in “Heartstopper.”

“Heartstopper,” based on Alice Oseman’s internet sensation of a webcomic, is a real tear jerker that deals with the struggles of figuring out your identity, among other things — including bullying, high school relationships, and change.

The diverse cast of friends includes Charlie (a gay boy), Nick (bisexual), Elle (a Black trans girl), Tao (Chinese), Isaac, Tara (Black and lesbian), and Darcy (a lesbian).

This show is every queer kid’s dream show; three non-cishet couples. This, unlike many shows, is a real depiction of so many queer friends. There is not just one queer kid in a group; we flock together out of community and necessity.

At the start of second term, Charlie is navigating a rocky relationship with a mentally and physically abusive secret boyfriend, when he gets placed next to Nick in form (like homeroom). Elle has finally been able to transfer from the Truham Boys’ School to Higgs Girls’ School over winter break and, while Tao misses her, Elle befriends Tara and Darcy.

The friends care about each other so much, and are always looking out for each other. To find out what happens with each of the friends, watch “Heartstopper” on Netflix.

This show is definitely one to binge and rewatch, and it will have your emotions going crazy in no time.

“As The Flames Arose” by junior Rachel Raskin

“Hyunjin Draw” by sophomore Abigail Romero Maciel.

Poetry Power: “Lost and Found” One of the first poems published in The Olympian is by sophomore Sebora Harten.

In response to what this poem is about, Harten reflected, “If I’m answering this correctly this poem is about me. Not being able to write a poem and being completely betrayed by the one thing I can count on while doing so… my brain.”

Reckoning with the conflict of dependency vs independency, Harten’s piece calls attention to the themes of entrapment and freedom.

I failed to write.

My mind loses itself.

I find nothing there.

I have been betrayed.

The thing I rely on the most is gone and now I don’t know what to do.

My faith in my abilities is shattered, Now trust is gone.

What I thought was once golden turned to green in a day, Now I feel lost.

Where do I go?

I doubt myself now.

Mother, is what I do enough for the world or am I a silent bird who never sang?

Mother, were the joyish days

empty in my state of ignorant Have art you’d like to share bliss? with the CVHS community?

Or is what you told me true? Submit your poetry & visual art to be published in The Mother, I thought I was born Olympian! to rise but then then I fell And I still lack the ability to get up.

Who is there to pick me up?

It is certainly not me; I have done nothing to pick myself up, Now I don’t want to.

I need to rise Or I will fall And that will be The end.

(QR code on the left to submit poetry and QR code on the right to submit visual art.

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The Olympian May 27, 2022

As, Fs drop during standards-based grading push

By Corinne Davidson The start of this school year brought along the use of standards-based grading in hopes of lowering the number of F grades among students.

Standards-based grading aims to grade by quality and understanding of work instead of just completion. Tests become worth 90 percent or more of a student’s grade, leaving homework and other assignments to barely make an impact.

After three-quarters of standards-based grading, students and staff still have mixed feelings. Students each have their own opinion on the grading method and not all teachers are on board with it, even so far into the year.

Grades have changed since implementing standards-based grading. Compared to the 2020 school the percentage of Fs has gone down 1.06 percent with the level of Fs being 6.58 percent in the third quarter of 2020 and 5.52 percent in the third quarter of 2022. As on the other hand have gone down slightly, 55.58 percent of students had As in the third quarter of 2020, and that number has gone down 1.57 percent since then; 54.01 percent of students now have As.

“I think standards-based grading is really excellent once the initial learning curve is overcome; some people are frustrated with it, which is understandable because it’s only being applied partially, but when it’s applied as a complete package it’s much better for students and teachers,” said English teacher Trenton Logan.

“For teachers, it means grading less busy work and focusing on the things that really matter, and for students, it teaches them to take ownership over their own learning.”

Logan supports standardsbased grading because he feels it prepares students better for college in the way that it prioritizes actual learning instead of receiving points.

He notes that with standardsbased grading, students are able to retake tests to improve their grades which promotes understanding of the material instead of just moving on and forgetting everything.

Economics teacher Eric Bahm expresses an opposing argument, “I think we’re trying to do multiple things here as a school: I want the students to be more attentive readers, think about stuff, evaluate sources, build a good work ethic,” explains Bahm. “Particularly for a course like economics where

it’s really conceptual, there isn’t one thing I’m looking for. There isn’t one way to really judge.

I think the effort should help some.”

Students also are frustrated with the system of grading.

“It just makes homework pointless, meaning most people aren’t going to do it and it puts too much weight on tests. Yeah, you get infinite retakes but that doesn’t matter if you keep failing the test,” says senior Dakota Brown.

Another senior Faye Brown notes that there are teachers who will give a bunch of assignments, but because of standards-based grading, they don’t mean anything and just become a burden that doesn’t help students’ learning.

Bahm has had many students come to him complaining about standards-based grading, saying they understand that they can retake tests but don’t feel like it improves their understanding.

“You know you can retake the test so there isn’t much at stake the first time,” said Bahm. He feels that if students do poorly on a test they will just keep retaking until they reach the desired grade instead of studying and understanding the topic the first time around.

“It makes your grade harder to fix—because your grade

Andrew Hui

is impacted more by each assignment, so if you do poorly on one assignment it will drop your grade significantly—so there is no incentive to do homework or study,” said senior Vincent Xiao.

A common complaint against standards-based grading is that it makes it harder to understand a topic because you don’t get the repetition that homework

would normally provide.

“I understand the topic more with homework and stuff like that. I was always the person who didn’t have to study, I could just do the homework and get As and Bs on tests,” said Xiao.

“Something like this is just another quick fix—like Common Core—that seems like it’ll fix things but it just kinda makes it worse,” said Bahm.

The Olympian Graduation 2022

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Prom 2022

DO YOUR PART TO PREVENT SEWER BLOCKAGES Maintaining reliable wastewater pipelines and facilities is everyone’s responsibility. There are simple actions we can all take to make sure that our wastewater system works.

Only Flush the 3Ps!

Only flush the 3P’s: Pee, Poop, and Toilet Paper. Those are the only materials that should be flushed down the toilet.

Items like “Flushable” wipes, disposable diapers, and personal hygiene products do not belong in the sewer system.

Never Flush Wipes!

Used flushable wipes belong in the garbage. When flushed, flushable wipes can damage expensive equipment at pump stations and the wastewater treatment plant and only increase the chances of a sanitary sewer overflow.

Put FOG Where It Belongs!

Do not pour Fats, Oils, and Grease, aka FOG, down the drain! Grease collects and hardens inside the pipes and forms a solid plug that can lead to sewer problems. Dispose of grease and fats in the green organics cart instead.

CASTRO VALLEY SANITARY DISTRICT Effective Environmental Services since 1939 (510) 537-0757 | cvsan.org

Meet the super seniors who brought you the news!

Megan Baldwin

Megan has been a part of The Olympian for the past three years, as a staff writer, video editor, and editorin-chief. Her favorite project that she’s been involved in was the video interview with Gavin Newsom, where she was able to use her video editing skills. Over the past three years, she has been able to cover many events, and is most proud of her work with film and photography. Next year, she will continue her education at Cal Poly Humboldt, majoring in film.

Leah Janaway

Leah has enjoyed being a part of The Olympian for the past two years as a staff writer and copy editor.

Her favorite experiences were being able to interview Golden State Warriors player and CVHS alum Juan Toscano Anderson about his work with the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, and chronicling her Ukrainian friend’s story throughout the Russian invasion in early 2022. She has gained a lot of helpful experience in writing and conducting interviews that she will take with her into the future.

Amanda Wong

Amanda has loved the two years she spent in journalism as a staff writer and opinion editor. She enjoyed sharing the different opinions CVHS students and journalists have had on various topics and is proud of the many articles and opinion pages she edited to inform others. Amanda has served as the president of CVHS’s Interact Club and where she enjoys volunteering in the community. She has also been a class secretary for two years and loved planning events, dances, and homecoming week. Amanda will continue her education at UCLA next fall studying Human Biology and Society.

Ali Nosseir

Ali has cherished the two years he’s spent as part of The Olympian crew as a staff writer and sports editor.

Being involved with various school sports himself, he has enjoyed reporting on, editing, and creating the sports pages on every issue this year. Ali has played varsity soccer all four years of high school, varsity track for two years, and junior varsity volleyball for one year.

Besides sports, he’s taken great pride in serving as the Financial Literacy Initiative club president where he can fulfill his passions. Ali will continue his education at UCLA next fall studying biochemistry.

Delenn Block

Delenn has been a part of The Olympian staff for the past two years as a staff writer and photo editor.

This experience has allowed her to demonstrate her photography, writing and communication skills and be closer to her community. She enjoyed getting to learn photoshop as a photo editor and writing news stories like “Masks required in all California schools.” After high school she will attend UC Davis with a major in medical and molecular microbiology.

Athena Sy Kuzuhara

Athena joined The Olympian this year as a staff writer. She has most notably drawn Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Spider-Man: No Way Home graphics for entertainment articles, as well as an emotional scene for the Ukraine editorial. She has also written opinion articles exploring her identity and beliefs. Through this amazing experience, she was able to improve her writing skills and explore her limits as an artist. After graduating, Athena hopes to pursue a degree in computer science specializing in artificial intelligence.

Jessica Truong

Jessica Truong has only been a part of The Olympian for her senior year, but she has appreciated her time here. She enjoyed writing various movie reviews and updates about the mask mandate at CVHS. Throughout her years of high school Jessica has participated in an assortment of activities besides journalism such as choir and piano. She is grateful to have participated in The Olympian and will continue her education after graduation at UC Irvine studying Biological Sciences.

Corinne Davidson

Corinne joined The Olympian in 2020 and has enjoyed working as a staff writer and editor-in-chief.

Over the past two years she has enjoyed interviewing members of the community as well as reporting on interesting stories. Outside of journalism, Corinne is involved in choir and competitive dance. They are proud of everything tghey have done as part of The Olympian, and wishes the best for next year’s staff.

Next year, she will continue her education at San Diego State University, majoring in communications.

Andrew Hui

Andrew has appreciated the opportunity to be a staff writer and news editor at The Olympian over the past two years. It has better connected him with the school community. He enjoyed designing the front pages, working with fellow staff and meeting new people from all corners of campus. His favorite story was “Olympian survey reveals wild roads,” where he discreetly tracked traffic violators. Outside of The Olympian, he was an officer for the Red Cross and worked part time. After high school, he plans to double major in Science and Technology Studies and Data Science at UC Davis.

Ethan To

Ethan has been in Journalism for the past two years, as a staff writer during junior year and feature editor during senior year. He has greatly enjoyed the opportunity to be part of The Olympian. He especially enjoyed taking photos, designing pages, and writing the news story of how the elementary schools in Castro Valley received their names. Besides working within The Olympian, Ethan has also been involved in color guard, choir, and leadership. He hopes to put his newly found writing and communication skills to use in studying Business Information Management in the future.

Ada Chen

Ada has had an absolute grand time serving The Olympian, she started as a staff writer her junior year and was Arts and Entertainment editor her senior year.

Her favorite story to write was “Do not say adieu to Wordle,” which described the techniques of the popular game. Throughout her two years with The Olympian, she was given the opportunity to learn many new skills which will continue to help her in the future.

Felix Shum

Felix has enjoyed his two years as a part of The Olympian, as a staff writer and as business manager. He has enjoyed writing anime reviews, which had never been published prior, and has given his fair share of opinions on anime-related controversies. Among Felix’s favorite articles is the first anniversary disaster for “Genshin Impact,” and the review of the second season of “Kaguya-sama: Love is War.” Outside of Journalism, he has stood proud running the Star Wars & Marvel Club, and the newly revived Anime Club. Felix will attend UC Riverside next fall, majoring in computer science.

Ethan Hudson

This has been Ethan’s first year working on The Olympian as a staff writer. They enjoyed experiencing a completely different perspective on the noteworthy events going on around Castro Valley High School.

They enjoyed writing opinionated stories and giving a spotlight to incredible student projects, especially through photography.